James Carter

James Carter is a powerhouse musician and one of the most admired saxophonists of his generation, garnering plaudits for his role in helping to propel jazz full tilt into the future over his 40-plus year career. His music is fueled by deep respect and intimate knowledge of the jazz tradition. 

"One of the most charismatic and powerful soloists in jazz," per the New York Times, Carter harbors a command of his instruments that is astonishingly complete, though he only employs that technique in the service of canny ideas. Even when he appears on the verge of shattering his horn, overblowing rapid-fire lines to otherworldly effect, he's evoking early jazz, jump blues, the avant-garde and other lessons residing inside his vast, scholarly knowledge of the music of the African American experience. 

"Music and life do not separate," he said. “My elders have taught me that music is a culture and a way of life.” 

Detroit native Carter shared his childhood home with five musically inclined siblings in "a house filled with all manner of sounds, from the Beatles to funk and Hendrix."

At the tender age of 17, the young prodigy shared a stage with Wynton Marsalis. At 23, he released his landmark debut album "JC on the Set," hailed by many as the arrival of a new jazz master. Over the decades that followed, Carter has cemented his reputation as one of this generation’s most charismatic and versatile soloists, boasting collaborations with Lester Bowie, Julius Hemphill, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kathleen Battle, Frank Lowe & The Saxemble, the World Saxophone Quartet, Wynton Marsalis, and Madeleine Peyroux among other jazz greats.

Honing his craft to a jaw-dropping technical level, Carter is the master of a family of saxophones, flute, and clarinet. His is a powerhouse virtuoso likened by composer Roberto Sierra to the great Paganini. It was, in fact, this astounding instrumental flexibility, coupled with an eclectic body of recordings that inspired the Spanish maestro to write the celebrated Concerto for Saxophones and Orchestra for the 31-year-old. Written expressly for Carter and mixing jazz, Latin, and classical elements, the work showcases the multi-instrumentalist’s outstanding technical virtuosity whilst allowing him "the freedom to improvise."

The four-movement piece sees Carter take center stage throughout, executing swift instrument transitions between tenor and soprano saxophones and employing a full gamut of musical expression, from furiously fast Coltrane-like tempo to a quiet ballad. 

Carter has performed the concerto with the Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra Berlin, MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Boston and Detroit, the Oregon Symphony, and several other U.S. orchestras. 

Touring the world as a soloist, leading his Organ Trio, Quartet, and Quintet, Carter can also be heard on more than 32 recordings. 

 Carter is the winner of multiple DownBeat awards, and in 2004 received one of America’s highest cultural awards: the Dr. Alaine Locke Award, given annually to individuals who have provided exemplary service and leadership in the promotion of African American culture.